Birmingham Age Herald

Consul Sparks Sifts the Stories as to the Harsh Treatment of Alabama Negroes in Mexico.

Washington, July 6.—The state department is in receipt of a report from Jesse W. Sparks, consul at Piedras Negras, on the colony of negroes brought from Alabama and Georgia last February to Tlahualila, Mex.

It appears that W. H. Ellis, a colored man, under contract with the owners of a large tract of land near Tlahualila, imported the negroes to farm the land. Some of them have since made their way to Piedras Negras, and complain of bad treatment.

Reports have appeared in American newspapers that some of the colonists escaped from the farm, and were pursued by Ellis, and thirty-two were shot down, while the survivors were captured, taken back to the colony and subjected to harsh punishment. The consul's investigation has shown this story to be almost entirely without foundation. Forty-three of the colonists did leave the colony. Twenty of them returned in safety. Twenty-one men and women who insisted on going ahead have not been traced, but some of them have reached the United States and it is probable spread the reports of the deaths of the others.

No one was shot or wounded, but Caldwell, who led the exodus, states that he was struck by a Mexican with the barrel of a gun and imprisoned for nearly two weeks in the colony lock-up.

The band were met and badly frightened by some Mexicans who had been sent out from the colony to find them and relieve them, as they were without food or water. Mr. Charles Paul Mackie, an American, who investigated the affair, corroborates this statement and declares that the colony is receiving good treatment, although many of them have been sick from change of water, diet, etc. They now have the benefit, however, of good medical attention. Although some of the colonists tell stories of harsh treatment, the consul is indisposed to credit them, and attributes their troubles to the fact that they are in a strange country and do not speak the language.

The negro manager, Ellis, however, in the consul's opinion, rules with great severity, and the negroes say he made representations to them in America which he fails to carry out in Mexico.